BUZZING NEW YORK ALTERNATIVE BAND HOKO UNVEIL NEW SINGLE “HIGHER”

Buzzing New York alternative band HOKO have shared a brand-new single entitled “Higher” via EQT Recordings/Republic Records. Listen to “Higher” HERE.

On the new song the band said: “Higher is about the energy of NY City and how too much of a good thing can turn dark.”

The track’s arresting bassline snakes through a head-nodding drumbeat. Meanwhile, energy surges through the verses. The anthemic hook takes flight with a plea, “I want to get higher,” buoyed by heavenly harmonies and a distorted guitar solo.

It follows on the heels of “Ephemera.” Of the latter, Melodic Magazine raved, “The chorus is an immediate sing-a-long and “Ephemera” will surely be a fixture in anyone’s “Moving On” mixtape,” and Kings of A&R praised, “HOKO creates a unique style that mixes alternative and experimental pop music. Their music has elements of psychedelia and rock.” Pop Passion proclaimed, “It’s a much more upbeat and fun take on a breakup song—so much so that you can’t help but bob your head and sing along to its excellent lyrics.” Not to mention, CBS’ “Music Minute” notably featured the band too!

Right now, HOKO are touring North America with Ripe. They will perform across the Northeast through the tour’s conclusion on November 19 in Hamden, CT at the Space Ballroom. Check out the full confirmed itinerary below.

The band has consistently unveiled critically acclaimed tracks this year. Of “Pretender,” MUD Magazine praised, “The song, written in collaboration with renowned musicians Mikey Shoes (Queens of the Stone Age) and Zackary Dawes (Lana Del Rey, Last Shadow Puppets), showcases HOKO’s unique sound and their ability to craft captivating melodies.”

Excitement continues to grow for more from the band…

The group has quietly emerged as an outlier presence with its enticing and entrancing hybrid of danceable grooves, artful instrumentation, and universally powerful pop hooks. They have generated over 50 million cumulative streams and dropped their independent debut Heathen EP in 2021. At the same time, they’ve also packed houses coast-to-coast on tour.

Be on the lookout for more. Bolo fo mo HOKO.

Like a wild flickering image projected in widescreen, HOKO stretch alternative into 360-degree pop. The New York band—Nathaniel Hoho [vocals] and JesseKotansky [guitar]—invite immersion into layers of rich soundscape architecture and hypnotically hummable hooks. Painting in broad strokes of psychedelia and rock, they unearth an uncategorizable and undeniable sound equally malleable and magnificent in its execution. Making a choice to pursue his passion full-time, Central Pennsylvania native Nathaniel honed his chops on the streets, traveling from one college and beach to another, busking to survive, and sleeping in the car. Eventually, he settled in Brooklyn where he first crossed paths with Jesse at a barbecue. A world-class musician, Jesse shined as a Balkan violinist throughout his childhood, traveling to Turkey at six-years-old to perform and, eventually, playing with a myriad of artists. Inspired by David Bowie, Queen, The Smashing Pumpkins, Tame Impala, The Strokes, The Beatles, and The Beach Boys, the pair hit it off and “started experimenting with new sounds in a pop space.” The guys caught the attention of EQT and signed in 2020 as “OK OK” impacted radio and reeled in over 4.9 million Spotify streams, paving the way for their independent EP Heathen. Highlighted by fan favorites “Candy Eyes” and “Hellogoodbye”(which fellow alternative maverick PVRIS officially remixed), the band continued to gain traction in between performing with X Ambassadors and more. Generating streams in the tens of millions, this vision comes into focus like never before on a series of 2023 singles for EQT Recordings/Republic Records introduced by “Hazy.”